Pinball games typically include an inclined playfield housed within a game cabinet and having mounted thereon a number of play features such as bumpers, ramps, targets, slots and the like. The play features influence the motion of the game ball, which is projected towards the features by flippers that are controlled by the player. Pinball games appeal to players because of the novel arrangement of the game features which make the game challenging and exciting to play. Generally, increased interaction between the player and the game results in increased appeal of the game to the game players. As players become more skilled at a particular game, however, the game loses its challenge and appeal. In order to maintain player interest and to satisfy the needs of the pinball game market, novel game features and arrangements are constantly required.
Typically, pinball games utilize a plurality of balls during game play which are directed by the player using flipper elements to engage various play features and targets on the game playfield. Multiple balls played simultaneously on the game playfield is more appealing than single ball play because of the heightened level of activity and the corresponding increase in the scoring capability.
A number of devices have been utilized in the prior art to facilitate multiple ball play. These include ball locks or ball poppers which retain a single ball on the playfield and release the ball at an appropriate time during play of a second ball. Other prior art devices permit the accumulation of more than one ball on the playfield and the release of a number of balls simultaneously at an appropriate time during game play. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,283 to Ritchie et al. describes a rotary ball receptacle that is capable of delivering a plurality of balls to the game playfield sequentially. A rotating wheel is mounted on the playfield and is provided with a number of ball receiving sockets. A game ball is conveyed to an unoccupied ball receiving socket on the wheel via a ramp that is situated above the wheel. A cup-shaped housing retains the balls in the ball receiving sockets as the wheel rotates. A series of optical switches are provided to index the wheel to ball receiving and ball discharging positions. Discharge of the balls from the wheel is controlled by a movable gate such that when the gate is raised the balls roll out of the cup and are discharged onto the playfield under the force of gravity. Because gravity is relied upon for the discharge of the balls from the wheel, there is necessarily some delay between the discharge of successive balls. Moreover, there is no appreciable velocity imparted to the balls as they are discharged from the device.
Thus, the degree of player appeal and game excitement is somewhat limited by the operating characteristics of prior art devices. None of the prior art attempts to improve the game have succeeded in providing quick, successive delivery of multiple game balls at an increased velocity in a way that provides visual excitement to the game player. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide increased game appeal and excitement by introducing multiple game balls in rapid succession and at an increased speed back onto the game playfield.